Like a Book
by the yellow submarine
Summary: Max hates Fang. When she lost a Dad, he gained one. She manages to avoid Jeb as much as possible, but the son of his new wife is more persistent than that. Not to mention attractive. He won't stop till he can read Max Like a Book.
1. Chapter 1

**This is probably a bad idea. In fact, it's probably the worst idea I could imaginably come up with. Starting a fourth story just before school's about to start? Hmm...**

**I couldn't help it! This idea has been bugging away at the back of my mind for a while now. I hope to make it slightly longer than my last stories, provided that the first chapter actually wets any of your appetites. Let me know! I'm all excited ;)**

**Happy reading!**

**x**

My eyes were burning in their sockets.

_God, this is embarrassing._

It's a well known fact that I generally do not cry. It's not that I want to seem tough or badass, but somehow I just don't fancy shedding bodily fluids is the way to release emotions. I didn't cry when my Grandma died. I didn't cry when Harley, my beautiful Great Dane, had to be put down. I didn't cry when there was a flood in the house and I lost everything I owned.

But here I was, crying. Weeping. Like a wimp.

The window I was staring out of had a large jagged crack running through the pane of glass like a lightning bolt. The downpour made it difficult to see clearly, but through the sheets of cascading rain, I kept my eyes trained on a figure banging the door to his car boot shut. He wiped his hands down on his pale jeans and picked up the leather bag at his feet before throwing it into the back of the silver Mercedes.

He hesitated. I stopped breathing when his eyes flickered up to the window I was standing at, with my arms wrapped around my torso like a shield. His dark hair was plastered onto his face, and he had a contorted expression, probably from trying to see through his glasses. He turned away from the window at last and slipped into the driver's seat, before starting the car and driving away. I watched until the car was lost to the mist the rain had created.

"Max." I felt Mum's arms move to gently hug my shoulders. I cleared my throat hurriedly, trying to push back the tears, but I couldn't help it – she was holding me, and everyone knows that when you're sad, and someone is holding you, you just can't help but let it all out.

"It's okay, honey."

_No it isn't._ It wasn't okay. It was far from okay. Why the hell was she even using a word that had no meaning or weight whatsoever? – nothing was ever "okay".

"Sorry, sorry. It's not okay." My mother knows me too well. Or maybe I was glaring defiantly at her through my tears. She rubbed my arms in a comforting manner. "But we'll get through it together, right?"

I sniffed hard and attempted to offer her a small smile. It probably came out as a grimace. She smiled gently, and I just knew that her heart was breaking inside. Everything about her seemed to droop. Her ponytail was loose, her face free of makeup, her eyes framed by deep and dark bags, even her earrings, green and silver, were hanging in a dejected manner. I sighed and allowed myself at last to relax in my Mum's arms. She wasn't much of a crier either. But I knew the pain she was suffering was much like mine, probably worst. I stood on tiptoes, lifted my right hand and brushed my fingers gently along her cheek.

She looked down at me and smiled.

"At least I still have you."

...

"This is really stupid."

"Oh, don't be such a killjoy."

I sighed and looked pointedly at Ella. "I just feel that at the age of sixteen and eleven months, I shouldn't be required to attend childish and culturally lacking events such as this."

"Max, it's a funfair."

"Exactly."

Ella took hold of my right arm and looked up at me with excitement twinkling in her brown eyes. "Robert's going to be here."

"I couldn't care less."

Ella released my arm. For a few moments we walked in silence and she stared at the toes of her boots. "Max."

"Mmm?"

"I need to ask you something."

"What?"

"Answer _honestly_, okay? I won't judge you for it."

"Shoot."

"Our friendship will always be strong, no matter what answer you give me now."

"Ella, just ask the fucking question."

She sucked in a quick breath. "Are you gay?"

I stopped walking. She stopped at the same time and began chewing on her bottom lip, not quite making eye contact with me. I sighed and lifted a hand to pinch the bridge of my nose. A tired gesture. I was a tired girl. "What the hell is your problem?" I demanded at last.

"Max, you can hardly blame me! Anyone who does not find Robert Sommerfield or any other boy in the entire school at least remotely attractive is either gay or has mental deficiencies."

"You didn't offer the second option."

"I was getting to it."

I sighed again. "Ella. Every boy in this school is either incessantly horny or just needs help with their Maths homework."

"You could still show interest."

I turned to face her, glaring accusingly at her rosy face. "You didn't bother showing interest until earlier this term!"

Ella rolled her eyes. "Yeah. It was only earlier this term that I realised in being friends with you, I have resigned myself to a doomed life, never getting married or having anything in the means of a social life."

"I'm hurt."

We continued walking. I dragged Ella to a stop by the candyfloss stall and paid for two, ignoring her comments about my greediness.

"Be grateful that I'm even thinking about you." I said as I handed the stick to her. As I delved my face into the pink fluff, she squealed excitedly.

"There he is!" I ignored her before I felt a sharp pinch on my elbow.

"Ow." I mumbled through my full mouth. "Wha-?"

"There he is!" She pointed. I looked. A tall boy with thick, wavy blonde hair was lounging against a van and talking to two other people. Even from a distance, his bold green eyes and twisted grin were easy to see. "Just tell me he's not hot."

"He is..."

"Knew it!"

"But I don't-"

I was cut off when my back pocket began to vibrate. I sighed and moved the candyfloss away from my face, where I had been holding it so I could at least _smell _it when Ella wouldn't let me _consume_ it, and took my phone from my pocket.

I stared at the screen displaying the Caller ID.

"Mum?"

"Hey Max."

"What's wrong?" I was naturally wired to suppose that if my mother ever contacted me through a mobile phone, something was amiss. She hated the devices, and was usually too busy at work to call me anyway.

"Where are you?"

"At the funfair with El- hey!"

Ella snatched the phone from my hand and held it up to her ear. "Hi Mrs Martinez! Yes, it's Ella... Fine, thank you. I just wanted to ask you something. Wait one sec."

Ella lowered the phone and pressed the Loudspeaker button, before holding it flat in her palm and speaking again, ignoring my glares. "Mrs Martinez, don't you think Max should get a boyfriend?"

There was a silence on the other end of the line before my mother's hesitant and slightly crackling voice came through. "I'm sure that would do her a lot of good, Ella." Ella grinned at me. "Now, would you mind handing the phone back to Maximum for a minute, please?"

I frowned as Ella allowed me to turn Loudspeaker off. My Mum never called me Maximum. It was like an unwritten rule in our relationship – she knew how much I hated my full name. It could only mean that something was _badly _wrong.

"Yeah?"

"I'm so sorry, honey, but I need you to come home."

"That's alright. Want to tell me what's going on?"

She sighed audibly. "I'll tell you as soon as you get home."

She hung up without so much as a _goodbye. _I frowned at the phone, then at Ella as I stuffed it back into my pocket.

"I have to go home."

"How come?"

I shrugged. "She hasn't said yet. But it's got to be something big, right? Mum's never home on Fridays and she never calls my mobile."

"Mmm." Ella looked thoughtful. She walked with me as I returned the way we had come. "It might be something to do with her job."

"Maybe." Unlikely. She wouldn't need me to go home if something had happened at work. We stopped walking when we reached the big, metal fence separating the grounds of the funfair from the outside world. "I'll call you as soon as I can."

Ella nodded, before giving me a quick hug. I smiled as she pulled back. Ella knew how much I hated hugs, and only offered them to me when I was really upset. "See you." She squeezed my hand one more time before I turned to walk briskly to the bus stop. I was aware her eyes were on my back as I moved away.

A drop of something wet landed on my forehead and slid slowly down my nose and onto my lip. I sighed. This wouldn't be good for the people at the funfair. I collapsed onto the bench at the bus stop and waited for number 32, trying to keep all unfriendly thoughts at bay.

...

Fifteen minutes later I was standing outside my front door, with a newspaper I had picked up on the bus held over my head to keep the rain off as I struggled to stick my key in the lock. It was always a toughy. Eventually, I twisted the key and shoved the door open with my shoulder, stumbling hurriedly into my dry and inviting home.

"Max?"

Mum was standing in front of me as soon as I lifted my head. I smiled.

"Hey."

She sighed and moved forward to pull me into a hug. _Woah. _

"Mum?"

"Mmm?"

"Um... why are you hugging me?"

She dropped her arms back to her sides and sighed, looking sheepishly at me. "Sorry. I'm not... all there, you know?"

I took her hand in mine and pulled her into the kitchen where we dropped into two chairs facing each other. She leaned forward and clasped her hands together, looking at her fingertips studiously.

"Something has happened."

"I gathered." I retorted, sitting back in my seat. She gave me a look before training her eyes back on her hands.

"Honey, promise you'll listen until I've finished."

I frowned. "Okay."

"It's... your father."

It felt like someone had stuck me suddenly into a freezer. Everything lost its bright glow beneath the light bulb on the ceiling and seemed cold and uninviting. I felt my stomach clench. "Jeb?" A steely voice came from my mouth.

Mum looked up at me, and all her defences seemed to fall away. She groaned and dropped her head into her hands. "Yes. Jeb."

I waited for her to continue, but all I saw was her taking a few deep breaths, her shoulders heaving with each intake.

"What about him?" I demanded.

"He... he's coming back."

I stood up, the chair scraping back behind me. I was going to be sick.

"Coming back?" I repeated weakly. Mum looked up at me and bit her lip. "Here?"

"With his family."

Silence. Neither of us breathed for several moments. The world was dropping away around me. He was coming back. With his family.

"How do you know?" A stranger's voice.

"He called."

"You spoke to him?" I spat accusingly. Mum's face hardened slightly.

"I don't plan on acting like a two year old, Max."

I breathed out slowly and felt myself collapse against the wall. Dad. My Dad was coming back. After eleven years, with no word as to where he was and what he was doing. Did he think we were going to roll out the red carpet, welcome him back home with loving arms? He had broken all our hearts! He had destroyed my childhood. He had run away, like the coward he was, and now he's coming back because he has reinforcements and he's not scared any more.

"I'll be damned if I let that son of a bitch back into this house."

"Max!"

I ignored her. All I could think of was getting away, leaving the thoughts behind with her.

"Maximum Batchelder, stop right there!"

I spun around, feeling heat rise in my face. "Don't call me that!" She stared at me. "Never call me that! My name is _Martinez. _I will _never _share that bastard's name. Hear me? And he is _not _coming back!"

Mum moved forward swiftly when I was done screaming to grip my shoulders.

"Max, honey." My head throbbed painfully.

"What?" I croaked weakly.

"Max... he's coming. I said he could come over for dinner."

I stumbled away from her arms like she had slapped me. "What do you mean?" My voice was quiet now, deathly.

She bit down on her lip hard. "Tonight. He's coming back. Tonight."

...

I sat cross legged on my floor, staring at my reflection in the mirror on my wall. I had stuck post-it notes and stickers all around the edges, but in the centre was my face. My pale, drawn-looking face. I had my dirty blonde hair pulled back into a messy ponytail. My skin was smooth and white, my nose covered with a spray of freckles and my brown eyes stared at myself in the glass, looking worn and tired.

I hadn't texted Ella.

I reached forward to where my phone was charging at the wall and opened up a new message. Inhaling deeply, I allowed my fingers to press the buttons on the phone.

_Everything is shit. Tell u later._

Anger consumed me again and I threw the phone at the wall roughly, just before the doorbell sounded.

I heard something bang somewhere else in the house, and a groan that could only be my mothers.

"Max?"

"What?" I replied coldly to her muffled voice.

"Answer the door, please. I'm still not ready."

I stood up slowly and viewed my outfit of pale, skinny jeans and a loose knitted red jumper with the sleeves rolled up, before opening my bedroom door and moving down the stairs slowly. Usually I would busy myself assembling the perfect scowl to greet my idiot of a father with, but right now I was too numb to even think about acting like me. I reached the bottom of the stairs when the doorbell rang again.

"Max!" My Mum's shrill scream came from upstairs.

I rolled my eyes before pulling the front door open.

My breath caught in my throat.

"Maxie?"

He was there. Standing opposite me. His dark hair had fallen out slightly, but his blue eyes were as full-of-life as I remembered from my childhood, his silver-framed glasses still pushed back on his long crooked nose. His skin was fairly tan and he wore a white flannel shirt with the top two buttons open, and pale jeans.

A sickened feeling overcame me.

"God, Max. My little girl." He stepped forward and pulled me into his arms.

That was when the tears threatened to spring from beneath my closed eyelids. I dragged in a deep, steadying breath before releasing myself from his grip roughly. He adjusted his glasses and frowned slightly.

"Jeb?" I heard my Mum scurry down the stairs.

"Valencia!" He grinned and lifted a hand in greeting. I continued to stare up at him, numb everywhere. "God, it's been a long time."

"Eleven years." My voice was rough. Jeb looked at me in surprise, something which resembled guilt crossing his face.

"That's how long it's been. _Dad_."

**Woo. Feisty Max :P Fang, my love, shall be appearing in the next chapter and you won't be getting rid of him till the end of the story. (My imaginary Fang: **_**Damn Right**_**.)**

**So? Any appetites wetted? I'LL LOVE YOU FOREVER IF YOU REVIEEEEW :D**

**x**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys :D Thank you every one for your amazing reviews. I'm so glad you liked the first chappie, I hope you like this one. **

**And don't just leave after you read! It's like visiting a friend's house without saying **_**"thanks for having me" **_**you know? Leave a review, kiddies. It makes my day.**

**Enjoy chapter two! Happy reading x**

You couldn't hear a damn thing. Everyone was silent as me and Jeb sort of stared each other out. His stares were more _I'm-confused-as-to-why-this-girl-is-staring-at-me_, while I'm pretty sure mine were more _I'd-be-happy-to-throw-you-under-the-next-coming-bus-and-cackle-for-extra-effect._

"Honey?"

Sudden call back to reality. Jeb wasn't alone. Actually... as I turned to face the owner of the somewhat tentative voice, I was met with five other pairs of eyes.

"You got busy."

"Max!" Mum sounded mortified. I wasn't quite sure what she had expected this visit to involve – forgiving cuddles and perhaps a few kisses?... ha. Like I was going to _touch _the ogre standing at my door.

"Jeb?"

Jeb glanced up at my mother's prompting tone. I folded my arms as he sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, just like he used to do.

"Right. Sorry." _Idiot._ I suppressed the urge to growl. "This... is my family."

Any number of rude, hurtful, _suitable _swear words sprang to mind, but I resisted the urge to lash out when I felt a comforting hand on my shoulder.

"Introduce us." Mum said quietly.

"Right." Jeb cleared his throat before stepping aside so we could see his... family, who were waiting expectantly on our doorway. "This is my youngest daughter, Angel."

I smirked. What kind of a name is _Angel_? I glanced at her.

Well. Maybe the name was fitting. She was... pretty damn adorable. Her curly blonde hair was pulled back from her rose face in a ponytail tied with a pink ribbon. Her blue eyes twinkled as she nodded at me.

"Her twin, Gazzy."

_Gazzy?_ Right. Like a clone of Angel, but in male form. His hands were in his pockets and he grunted in affirmative at the introduction.

"My daughter, Nudge."

Dear God. What were they thinking when they chose these names? Actually... Jeb did have a reputation with _interesting _names. What kind of a father thinks it's okay to call his daughter _Maximum_? I was getting tired of the, _Hey, where's Minimum –cue hysterical laughing- _jokes. Nudge, dark skinned, curvy, probably slightly younger than me, smiled broadly at us.

"I'm adopted." She said in explanation for the significant differences in appearance between herself and the rest of the _family_, which sure enough, hadn't slipped our minds. "A lucky one, though. Landed myself with a nice bunch."

She grinned up at Jeb who smiled back at her. I resisted the urge to gag – although I didn't feel _sick. _I felt tired. Exhausted, in fact. All I wanted to do was climb back into my warm, inviting bed, curl up into a fetal position and pretend this had never happened.

"My eldest son, Fang."

I couldn't help raising an eyebrow at that one. This Fang fellow was quite something. Really good looking. Though I should probably get busy glaring at him... his hair was dark, messy, flipping every which way over his forehead. His eyes... black. Cold, steely orbs like never ending tunnels. His skin smooth, his nose straight, his trousers hanging low on his hips, his shoes scuffed, his shirt black and a silver necklace glinting against his neck.

Wow.

Wait.

Since when do I go into such detail in fashion?

"Pleasure." I muttered darkly, quickly moving my eyes away from _Fang _who was standing casually with his hands in his pockets, impassive eyes trained on my face.

"Fang is Sandra's son from her last marriage." _Good to know._ Jeb stepped to the side of a tall, skinny woman and squeezed her bony shoulder. "My wife, Sandra."

This upset me more than the kids. The way Jeb looked down at the blonde haired lady was... adoring. She was his world. That much was clear to us innocent onlookers. He had found a replacement for me and my mother pretty damn easily by the looks of it.

I found myself staring at the ground.

"Welcome." Mum's voice was strained. She was struggling with this. Well. Who wouldn't be? Disappearing Husband Turns out to Have Been Fruitful When He Makes A Surprise Appearance After 11 Years.

I realised they were waiting and shifted my seemingly frozen mother out of the way and motioning for them to enter.

"Place hasn't changed a bit." I heard Jeb murmur behind me. I snorted.

"There were other things on our mind apart from redecorating."

Silence. I smirked, although I felt my internal temperature drop by another ten degrees. It would be a miracle if I made it through tonight without hacking one of them to death.

Mum and I, plus Jeb and his extensive offspring, spread across the table. I ended up at one head of the table, unable to bring myself to sit next to Jeb or one of his minions. On one side of me was the girl, Angel, and _Nudge_ on the other.

"We've all been so looking forward to meeting you." Nudge gushed. "We're really excited to move into the town." I felt my jaw clench.

"It's a lovely place." My Mum said, as she walked in with a tray full of plates. Jeb and Sandra stood up immediately to assist her. "The people are very nice."

"Our old town was a bit deserted." Nudge continued. Mum began to serve the chicken. "The only people we had to play with were each other. But it's going to be different here. I could see that as soon as we arrive. Maybe... Max could hang out with us?"

I snorted. Mum glared at me. "Max would love that, I'm sure, Nudge." Mum came to serve my food, and I felt her poke my arm with her elbow. In our language, _Be nice or Else._

I sighed and focused on my chicken, blocking out Nudge who was busy talking for England. It was only when I caught sight of Sandra glaring at Fang that I perked up. Everyone else at the table seemed oblivious to them. Mum was nattering away to Jeb, and that _Nudge _character seemed to still be busy... but I noticed. Sandra was staring fiercely at Fang who was slouched in his seat, a fork hanging loosely between his fingers and poking languidly at his food. Finally, she leaned forward and hissed something in his ear. After several moments, Fang straightened up and stared into space like his life depended on it.

I took the opportunity to take a closer look at him – sorry to break it to you, but yes, I am part of the species known as the 'female sex'. Although I must admit that no guy had ever really caught my eye before. This one though...he was something else.

His dark eyes were deep and focused – focused on the wall at the moment, but I couldn't help wondering what it would feel like to stare into the orbs of darkness. His black hair hung about his head in messy disarray – and I couldn't help wondering what it would feel like to run my fingers through it. His skin was smooth olive, his nose straight, his soft looking lips clamped determinedly together... I couldn't help _wondering..._

Too bad he's related to Jeb. Well. Not blood related. But he was blood related to a woman who reckoned the dick was _worth marrying._

I looked up as everyone began to scrape their chairs back and stand up, saying nice things to my Mum about her chicken. Except for Fang. But I gathered that I was going to need to get used to him not being Mister-Talk-A-Lot.

"Let's go into the sitting room." Mum said, smiling around at them like an idiot.

I sighed loudly as they made noises of agreement, but followed them through the adjoining door that led to the sitting room. Everyone except for Fang and I collapsed onto the sofa. Fang leant against the wall, hands in his pockets, staring vacantly at nothing in particular. I remained at the door, arms folded, glaring at Jeb who was smiling down at a picture of me as a kid that had been sitting on the table beside the sofa.

Sandra cooed. I rolled my eyes. Mum walked through the doors and managed to hook her hand against my arm and effectively dragged me into the 'socializing circle'.

"Here." Jeb grinned and stuck his hand into his coat pocket, pulling out a small, rectangular book. He flicked through a few pages before stopping on a page and pointing to it.

"This is Angel and Gaz when they were just born." He said, looking disgustingly proud. I ignored the tight feeling in my stomach and scowled at him. Mum went to look and nodded, a fake smile plastered onto her face. I noticed Angel and her twin shift uncomfortably on the sofa from the corner of my now blurred vision.

_Please... whoever-it-is-up-there-that-organizes-these-things... please, don't let me cry..._

"Come look at this one, Maxie." Sandra said gently. I swallowed hard before skirting over to look down at the stupid album.

"Jeb with Angel." I bit my lip. Why was he showing us these? Did he _want _to make us hurt? I nodded slowly, surprised I hadn't thrown the stupid thing into the fire already.

"Fang." He was about ten there. Cute. Still dressed in black. Hands in pockets. Glaring at the camera.

"Ooh, look, we're in Dubai there."

_I am going..._

"Egypt!"

_To stab..._

"God, that was fun, wasn't it?"

_Someone..._

"That's at the airport."

_Very soon..._

"Yeah, Gazzy threw up on the air stewardess."

_Probably..._

"There's all of us together!"

_NOW!_

"Hey!" My voice was slightly too high, my feet moving faster than my body as I hurried to the cabinet. I felt hot. Tired. Sick. "Let's look at _our _family photos, huh?"

I saw Nudge bite her lip. Sandra swallowed. I probably looked murderous. I marched back to Jeb, pulling the front cover of the album open and pointing to the first picture.

"Hey! Remember that? That's the day I was born."

Jeb smiled nervously and nodded. I flicked past a few more pages and stopped on one of me and Mum and Jeb on the beach.

"There's us at Bracknell Beach."

Mum laughed lightly. "You kept pinching all the children and chasing them into the water, Max. Jeb had to keep an eye on you so the lifeguard would stop pestering us about having the devil for a child." Even a mongoose could hear the wistfulness of her voice.

I went to the next one.

"You always used to give me piggybacks." I smiled down at the picture, feeling tears gather in my eyes. I blinked them away quickly. Jeb was kissing Mum while I hung off his neck, a huge grin on my face. Jeb managed to go a wonderful shade of red. Sandra remained silent, staring at her hands.

I moved to the middle of the album.

"Ha. There's me and Mum in the garden."

"Me and Mum in the sitting room."

"Me and Mum in the corner shop."

"Me and Mum making dinner."

I stood up, my burning eyes focused on Jeb's uncomfortable figure.

"No Dubai. No Egypt. No airports. Just me and my Mum. At home. Alone. And we were doing just fine before you showed up."

"Max-"

"You're not welcome here, Jeb." I leaned forward, lowering my voice to a whisper. "And neither is your _family."_

"Max." So Mum was mad. Fine. At least I got that off my chest.

"Don't worry, I'm going. Have fun without me."

...

After that display of affection for my resurrected father, I had marched out of the house, leaving the deafening silence behind me. I went to the only place I could think of going. The only place that seemed highly inappropriate now.

I called it The Bridge. No prizes for guessing... yes, folks... it was a _bridge._ One of those domed, stone ones that sits above a gently flowing river. It was surrounded by willow trees and practically no one knew of its existence, and were very unlikely to stumble across it anyway. When I was little, Jeb taught me to ride my bike here, training wheels and all. I'd come here often, when I just wanted peace and quiet. It would bring back memories. Memories of a happy time in my life.

I sat there now, on the edge of the bridge, my legs swinging back and forth slowly. I stared up at the navy blue sky.

_I guess Ella will want to know about this._

I punched her number into my phone and waited for the extended _beep_s to be replaced by her cheery voice.

_Beep._

_Beep._

"What happened?"

No 'hello'. No 'how are you'. Straight to the point. That's my Ella. I smiled grimly.

"Jeb came back."

A pause.

"_Jeb? _As in Jebediah?"

"Yes."

"As in... your son-of-a-bitch of a father?"

I sighed. "Yup."

"Woah."

"Mmmhmm."

"What... he just... turned up?"

"With a wife and five kids."

"Holy mother-"

"Exactly what I thought."

Ella breathed out. "So where are you now?"

"The bridge."

"Did you kick his sorry arse?"

I smiled. "Something like that."

"Good on you. I hope he rots in hell."

I laughed. "Be a psychiatrist, Ells. You sure know how to make a person feel better."

She snorted. "I'll consider it. Listen, I have to skidaddle..."

"See you later."

"Hang in there, buddy."

I sighed and stuffed the phone in my pocket.

"Technically, it wasn't such a bad welcome."

I swung around at the sound of the voice, nearly knocking myself clear off the bridge in the process. I scrambled hurriedly back onto solid land and lifted my head to glare at...

Fang?

"You scared the crap out of me." I hissed.

"Sorry." He didn't sound sorry. He didn't look sorry. Not with that stupid smirk on his... kinda... hot... face...

Sorry, sorry, focus...

"So you talk, huh?"

He continued to smirk, leaning against the stone, one foot resting on top of the other, hands in his pockets.

"Sometimes."

I paused. "Did you... follow me?"

Fang made a dismissive sound. "Yeah. 'Cause I have nothing better to do than stalk my step dad's mental daughter."

I narrowed my eyes. "Sense of humour too, then."

He grinned and winked at me. The overall effect was quite... appealing... I cleared my throat.

"So how exactly did you turn up in a practically deserted, little-known place?"

Fang shrugged. "I got lucky."

I raised an eyebrow. "Right."

"You hate Jeb." Not a question. A statement. I turned my head to look hard at him.

"I'm not a member of the We-Love-Jeb-Batchelder club if that's what you're asking."

"How come?"

I almost choked. On air. "Because the prat decided to hop on a wagon and giddyup out of my fucking _life_ without so much as a phone call to make sure I was even still alive, and then eleven years later he turns up on the doorstep with an entire _army _standing behind him saying, _Oh look, I've got a Daddy and you fucking _don't."

I was breathless, red in the face and ready to lunge at Fang and claw the eyes out of his impassive face.

Just, you know, to lighten the mood.

"Maybe your Mum shouldn't have invited us if you feel so strongly about it."

I laughed humourlessly. "My mother hasn't remarried. She hasn't had a single boyfriend. She never even _glances _at other men."

Fang raised an eyebrow.

"She's still in love with the creep." I ground out the words through clenched teeth. Fang nodded slowly.

"And that's... a bad thing?"

"Yeah, it's slightly unfortunate considering the fact that Jeb Batchelder is an untrustworthy bastard."

Fang's mouth quirked up at one side. "Maybe you're overreacting, _Maximum._"

I stared at him. Fury coiled inside of me. I clenched and unclenched my fists before stepping forward so we were only centimetres away. He looked down at me in amusement.

"You know _nothing _about me and my feelings. He broke my heart. He ruined my childhood. And that is _not _an overreaction."

...

I stuck my key in the lock and jiggled it around angrily until it popped open. I banged the door shut behind me, full force.

_Who does that guy think he is?_

_Telling me I'm overreacting!_

I began to move up the stairs.

"Max."

I stopped.

"Max."

I looked over my shoulder.

"They're gone." Mum looked exhausted. I nodded stiffly. She sighed. "Max... you have every right to be angry... but that was just _embarrassing._"

I felt my jaw clench. "Sorry _Mum_, I guess I should have been more polite talking to that utter _jerk_ and his godforsaken family!"

"Max-"

"Do you not even _care _that he left?" My voice dripped with accusation as I moved down a step.

"Of course I-"

"You would take him back so easy, wouldn't you?"

"That's not fai-"

"Well I am _never _accepting that fucking asshole back into _my _life!"

My voice shook slightly at the end. Mum stared at me silently. I stared back, until she broke the gaze and turned away from me, wrapping her arms about her body.

"My daughter's turned into an animal."

I swallowed hard before turning and running up the stairs two at a time to my room. I banged the door shut behind me before collapsing against it, and for the first time that night, letting the tired tears consume me.

**So you've done the hard bit and read...**

**Now do the easy bit and review?**


	3. Chapter 3

**Late update? Yes. Am I sorry? Yes. It's probably because of all the work I have to do... and the fact that I try to make the chapters of this story kinda longer.**

**Reviewers! I love you! You guys are just amazing. I appreciate all your comments so much.**

**Plus... one of you asked if this is going to have Fax in it. I probably didn't say... YES! This is a Fax story! I've got some pretty... well...**_** interesting**_** and sweet scenes between Max and Fang typed up already. **

**I hope you enjoy this chapter. Happy reading! x**

I stared up at the fan on my ceiling, watching the blades turn around and around, hypnotizing me into a sense of oblivion. I couldn't help letting the thoughts run through my mind as I lay motionless, my fingers playing with the material of my duvet. It felt like someone was wheeling the same freeze frames through my head again and again-

Jeb's confused face.

Sandra's embarrassed face.

Fang's amused face.

Mum's... disappointed face. Had I gone too far? Was this mess my fault? It couldn't be, right? It was Jeb! What kind of a person comes back home after years and years without any kind of communication whatsoever?

I couldn't be expected to treat _that _with respect.

I slipped my legs out from beneath the duvet and sat up, stretching my back until it cracked. I padded out into the hall and stood outside Mum's bedroom door, shifting my feet nervously and waiting for some sound to indicate she was awake. Nothing. I sighed and grudgingly prepared for school.

In half an hour, I had downed a glass of juice and was dressed in my worn school uniform – the grey skirt, white blouse and navy blazer that was torn at the cuffs. I struggled with my navy and gold striped school tie before running out of the door and banging it hard behind me to let Mum know I was gone.

I loosened the tie distractedly as I entered the school grounds ten minutes later, keeping my eyes peeled for the back of Ella's head. I saw her eventually. Her back was turned to me, and I saw her shoulders shake gently as I approached, obviously laughing at something the person opposite her had just said.

I yelled her name, but she didn't seem to here.

"ELLS!"

Finally she looked over her shoulder. I grinned and waved...

My grin faltered as I got closer. Ella turned so I could see the entirety of the huge smile on her face.

"Hey Max!" She stepped forward. I had stopped moving by now, staring over her shoulder at the person she had been talking to.

"Um..." I looked back to Ella. "What're you-"

"You know Nudge, right?"

My gaze fixated on the fidgeting girl. What – _what _was Nudge doing here? In my school? Talking to my best friend? Staring at her feet like she was too fucking scared to even _face_ me!

"Why are you here?"

It came out harsher than I had intended. Ella stared at me, confusion in her face, while Nudge cleared her throat slightly awkwardly and shifted her feet.

"I-"

"What do you mean?" Ella demanded. I looked at her and raised an eyebrow.

"What do I mean?"

Ella rolled her eyes. "This is her first day. Nice welcome."

"She's Jeb's adopted daughter!" My voice cracked slightly at the end. I turned back to Nudge. "What are you doing here?"

She mumbled something.

"_What?_"

"Max."

I ignored Ella and continued to glare at Nudge.

"I- I go to school here."

Silence.

"You've got to be kidding."

"Max!"

"What?" I turned on Ella, my eyes flashing, my stomach hurting. What was Jeb's problem? Why couldn't he and his family just get on with their lives and not include me? I didn't _want _to meet them. I didn't _want _them to go to my school. _I did not want Nudge to talk to El-_

"How could you be so bloody _rude_?"

_What?_

"What?"

"Nudge has just arrived in this town, in this school, and you come in and make a big deal of her even being here!" Ella was waving her arms around wildly. I felt my jaw slacken slightly. "What's your problem?"

I waited. I breathed. I tried to breath. Kind of difficult when you just want to strangle you're supposed best friend for not being on your side.

"My problem." My eyes narrowed. "My problem is that I don't have a Dad and _she_" I pointed accusingly at Nudge, "does."

Ella stepped forward and touched my arm gently. I continued to glare at her regardless.

"It's not her fault." She said gently.

Woah.

"Have fun without me." I muttered, before slinging my bag back over my shoulder and turning on my heel to march away from them. A strange tight feeling consumed me from inside. Me and Ella hardly ever had arguments. We had a rare kind of friendship where we understood each other perfectly – we didn't _need _to bicker like five year olds to sort out differences. After all, it is the differences in us that makes each person individual, right?

This was different.

This wasn't about differences. This was about _me _and my family. Ella had always understood. Backing up the _adopted daughter _of my ex-father is not what I would call _understanding._

I shoved open the double doors that led to the school building roughly with my shoulder and continued to storm to my first lesson. Instead of morning registration, we had started to go straight to our lessons and have it there. I stared at the ground as I walked, my fists clenched. Somewhere along the way, I managed to bump into someone and swear loudly, staring at the spilt contents of my bag in annoyance.

"Smooth."

"What are _you _doing here?" I was practically screaming by now. Why? I had no clue. If Nudge had moved to the school, then Fang would too, right? I sighed and rubbed my face tiredly with my hand.

Fang's mouth tugged up at the side into a crooked half smile.

"Nice to see you too."

"That wasn't what I was _attempting _to insinuate." I got down onto my knees and began to shove the books back in my bag. Fang picked up my homework journal and began to sift through it slowly. I glared up at him, although he probably couldn't see it, considering the fact that his face was hidden behind my journal. All I could see was his low slung jeans and black shirt.

"Give it back." I reached out a hand.

"Biology." Fang snapped the diary shut.

"Give." I waved my hand impatiently and Fang smirked, dropping it so some papers fell out. I sighed again. Why? Why _me_?

"Coming?"

"_What?"_I stood up and pulled my bag with me.

"Biology." He said again, smirking at me like I was some sort of idiot. I wasn't. I just got it.

WE HAD BIOLOGY TOGETHER.

"Get yourself another escort." I grunted, pushing past him.

Fang didn't seem to be in the mood for following instructions. I heard the light padding of his feet as he walked after me. I tried my best to ignore him, but annoyance got the better of me and I spun around, facing him angrily. We were only a few feet away from the Biology lab.

"Listen." I said quietly. "I don't want you to be here. I don't want anyone to know that I have anything to do with you or your family in any shape or form. I just want things to be the way they were before. That's not too much to ask, right?"

He didn't speak. He simply looked down at me, his eyes flickering over my face with a slight glint in them, like I was somehow amusing him.

"Just please, after this, leave me alone?"

Fang grinned and raised his hand in a two finger salute. "Yes, sir."

I rolled my eyes and turned to push the door open to the Biology lab. Professor Lanks looked up when I entered. I smiled tentatively at him. The professor was a great guy – he was one of those cool scientists who are old with white, wild hair and gold rimmed glasses perched on the ends of their noses. His lab coat seemed to be surgically attached to him. We always had got on pretty well.

"Max." He smiled and waved. "Welcome."

I was about to move to sit down when I remembered Fang. I sighed and glanced up at him before clearing my throat to gain the professor's attention. "This is Fang. He's new."

"Really." Professor Lanks moved forward and took hold of Fang's hand, looking straight up into his eyes. Fang's mouth quirked up at one side in what some people may think was a _charming _smile. "Are you a scientist, young man?"

Fang laughed quietly. "I enjoy it."

The professor nodded. "So does Max. Sit next to her."

"What?" I stared at him in horror.

"You'll be showing Fang around, am I correct? Stick with him in the lab. I can see you two doing great things together."

"You don't even know him!" I protested.

The professor turned away from me and waved away my comment. "At the back."

I groaned and looked at the two seats side by side at the back of the classroom. This was not what I was going for. Fang walked ahead of me and collapsed into the seat which was mostly in the shadows. I remained where I was, mouth slightly agape.

"Max." I looked at Professor Lanks.

"Sir, I like working on my own." I said quickly. He smiled.

"Time for a change."

He didn't get it. That was the problem! Everything was changing! Too much was changing.

I huffed loudly and walked slowly to the seat next to Fang, dragging my bag along behind me. I dropped into the seat, making as much noise as possible, but the Professor seemed completely oblivious to my efforts to make a fuss and began the lesson on enzymes. I pulled out my Biology textbooks and a pen, before shifting as far away from Fang as I possibly could.

It was pointless.

The entire lesson was completely pointless. I didn't understand why it was that Fang could have this effect on me without even..._ doing_ anything. The kind of feeling when you _know _someone is looking at you... and then I turn to catch him in the act, but he never is looking at me. He is totally focused on Professor Lanks, which is annoyingly uncomforting.

"What's the matter?"

I jumped slightly when his warm breath hit my neck. I snapped my head around to face him, and found the two, dark magnets attached to me.

"What do you mean?" I hissed.

Fang's eyes flickered down to my notebook, where I was drawing a person lying in their own pool of blood with a knife above their head. It was pretty good, I have to say. Slightly morbid. But good.

I glared at him. "Is there something wrong with it?"

Fang raised his eyebrows. "Of course not."

"Well, shut up then."

I could see him grin in the corner of my eye.

At the end of the lesson, I stood up quickly, stuffing the books into my bag and raced out of the room without considering my customary wave and smile at Professor Lanks. Why should I say goodbye to him? I was mad. At him. At Fang. At everything. I marched to my locker, throwing it open and searching until I found the blueberry muffin I had been hoarding there in case of emergencies.

I collapsed onto the ground, legs crossed, and began to eat.

"Comfort eating, huh?"

I looked up to see Ella smiling tentatively down at me. I rolled my eyes. "I'm hungry."

"You're always hungry." She lowered herself down next to me. "How was Biology?"

"Crap."

Ella didn't speak for a few moments. I wasn't surprised. I _loved _Biology. It was one of the few subjects I actually concentrated in. "Seriously?"

"I had to sit next to Fang."

"Fang."

"Jeb's new wife's son from her old marriage."

"Oh, Max." Ella reached out and took my hand. I didn't pull away. "I'm sorry."

I looked up to meet my best friend's gaze and smiled slightly. "I've been overreacting. I'm sorry too."

She grinned at me before somehow reaching over and swiping up half of my blueberry muffin.

I didn't do much more than glare at her. I was just happy I had my best friend back.

...

"What are they doing?" I hissed.

"I don't know. Why don't you just go over there and find out?"

"Because I don't want to talk to them."

Ella sighed. "Max, I have to go to my Extra English class. Just walk past them or something."

I chewed my lips nervously, looking out the window at Jeb's kids who were gathered together at the gates. Nudge, Gazzy, Angel, _Fang_... they were all there. Waiting for something... or someone.

"I have to go." Ella repeated. I sighed and looked up at her.

"Fine. See you tomorrow."

"Call me." I nodded quickly and waited for Ella to disappear before finally mustering up enough courage to step out from my hiding place into fresh air and daylight.

_Don't see me, don't see me, don't see me..._

I began to climb down the stairs...

_Don't see me, please don't see me..._

I approached the group, my eyes trained on the traffic lights on the opposite street...

_Don't-_

"Max!" I winced and looked at Nudge. She smiled and half waved at me. I forced a smile back and tried to ignore the eyes that were trained on me.

"Hi. Why aren't you guys going home?" I asked, shifting my backpack.

"We were waiting for you."

_Brilliant._

"Oh, really?" I laughed awkwardly. "Why's that?"

"Your mum said you would walk us home." Angel said quietly. I looked at her.

"Really."

"Is that alright?" Nudge asked, looking anxious. I bit my lip.

"Mmm. Course."

We walked.

They talked.

I shut out all sound and glared at the pavement.

"You know." I looked up to see Fang walking next to me. "They like you."

I stared at him. "Who?"

He gestured in front of him. "Nudge. Angel. Even Gaz."

"I'm honoured." I muttered. Fang smirked at me. "What about you?"

Oh, jeez. I lost it there. What was I thinking? Asking _Fang _if he _liked me_... I tried to push down the embarrassed blush that was working its way up my neck.

"You're adequate."

Adequate?

"_Adequate?_"

He grinned. "I've seen better manners."

"Who are _you _to question my manners?" I demanded.

Fang continued to grin. It was actually a pretty hot grin. You know. In the least... _attractive _way possible. Because obviously I wasn't attracted to the idiot.

"I don't even care." I said suddenly, remembering myself. "You lot know the rest of the way. I'm off."

He didn't protest. None of them did. It was like they expected me to go storming off in the middle of our little journey home. I took the ordinary route to the Bridge and climbed onto the edge, allowing my legs to dangle down.

Peace, at last.

I sighed and lifted my head so the wind brushed against my cheeks. Darkness was just seeping into the sky.

I sat there for a while, enjoying my own company and the sound of the leaves rustling gently beneath me.

"Dinner time."

_You cannot be serious..._

"What's the matter with you?" I demanded, flicking my head around to look at the boy at the end of the bridge, hands in his pockets, the hood of his black jumper pulled up over his head so I could only see the slight light reflecting off his eyes.

He shrugged. "Your mum's worried."

I groaned. "_Why_?"

"Because it's seven thirty."

"What?" I pulled my phone from my pocket, ignoring the _10 missed calls_ and looked at the time. He was right. I had been out here for hours. "Crap."

I jumped up and pulled up my bag, walking past him and making sure my shoulder bumped against his. I walked for a while, listening to the sound of his feet as he followed me.

"Why did you bother?" I asked at last.

"Bother?"

I rolled my eyes although he couldn't see it. "Bother coming to get me."

He didn't speak for a while. When he did, I had to strain to hear his voice. "Your mum was worried, Max. No one knew where you were."

"Except you." I said quietly. He didn't reply.

We walked the rest of the way in silence, and Fang didn't offer a good bye when he turned off towards his house. I paused to watch him slouch away.

I couldn't help but allow my mind to dwell on his words.

It was pretty obvious what he meant by them. He thought I was a selfish brat.

I gritted my teeth and shoved open my front door, banging it closed behind me to let the neighbourhood know I was back.

**She has serious issues. Like... anger management? :P don't worry I'll sort her out eventually... or more like Fang will.**

**So... Like? Don't? REVIEWWW! x**


	4. Chapter 4

**Guys... I am so ashamed. It's been a while, but honestly? I've been BUSY. Revising actually, for my stupid exams – but in 2 and a bit weeks, it will all be over, and I can finally relax. Have a LIFE. **

**All the reviewers on the story are incredible. I love you all. It just sucks that for some unknown reason, Fanfiction is refusing to allow me to reply any of my reviews :( Just know that if I could, I would. Reply, that is.**

**So anyways, HERE WE ARE WITH A CHAPTER. At last.**

**Happy reading :) x**

I exhaled through my nose and gripped the pen tighter in my hand until my nails were digging into my palm. The professor poked the plastic model of an eye in front of him with his customary white ruler, before turning his back on the class to sketch something on the board.

I dropped my head into my hands and began to rub my aching eyes with the balls of my fists. Everything seemed to be such an effort lately. I had got practically no sleep last night thanks to my Mother who refused to talk to me and Fang who was acting all high and mighty, meaning I had one too many things to brood about as I lay restlessly between my burning sheets. I had skipped breakfast, avoided Ella who was involved in a _riveting _conversation with Nudge again, and spent the entirety of the morning staring at myself in the bathroom mirror and wondering why my eyes were rimmed with pink and why my hair was so lank and _why the hell did I even fucking care._

And now I was in Biology. Next to the aforementioned _Fang _who was still holding some sort of grudge against me, God knows why.

And maybe God also knows why I was itching to turn and look at the black eyed boy and somehow get him to talk to me. _Yes. _I wanted to talk to Fang. It only proved that I had more than one thing wrong with me.

I dropped my hands onto the desk and began to run my fingers across the brim of my still closed notebook. The side of my head which was facing Fang started to tingle. _He's looking at me. _Immediately, instinct kicked in and I lifted my head to lock eyes with him. He held my gaze for a few moments before turning his head to face the front of the class again.

The fact that I remained in the same position, staring at the side of his head and his hair and the kind of fringe that flopped over his forehead and shadowed his defined features was _downright embarrassing_. I practically knocked over my chair and desk in my haste to get away as soon as the bell rung, announcing the end of class. Fang steadied my chair with the swift movement of his arm, and I felt a slow blush creep its way up my face as I grabbed my back pack and sprinted out the class.

I felt completely disorientated. It took a while for me to realise that it was lunchtime and that I should probably do something useful with the rapidly dwindling hour... such as eat my _lunch._

I found Ella sitting beneath our favourite oak tree outside. We had named that tree Simeon back when we struck up our friendship – for a reason which is only know to eleven year olds and is eventually forgotten as they grow into teenagers and drop the habit of naming trees which they like the look of.

I tried to suppress my disappointment at finding Ella sitting next to a great mass of brown fuzz – Nudge. I dumped myself onto the grassy bit beside them and forced a smile from somewhere.

"Max!" Ella grinned broadly at me, looking relieved. "I thought you weren't going to show up."

"Course I showed up." I smiled again as I unwrapped my chicken sandwich.

"How was Bio?"

"Ish." I muttered.

Nudge tuck a plastic fork into her salad and offered me a timid smile. "Do you not like it?"

"Oh, I love it usually. It's just... I've had a lot on my mind lately."

Nudge nodded, focusing on her cherry tomato, and Ella winked at me – a sure sign that she was pleased I was making an effort with her. We sat in a comfortable silence for a while, munching contentedly on our lunches.

"You know." Nudge said suddenly. "There's a really cute guy in my art class."

"Really?" Ella leaned forward, smiling slightly in anticipation. "Who?"

"I think his name's Dylan."

I snorted. "_Dylan?_ Seriously?"

Ella grimaced in agreement with me. "He's a bit of a twat, to be honest, Nudge."

"Really? He seemed pretty nice to me."

"Notorious player. Broken the heart of at least a dozen girls in our year. And that's only in our year." I rolled my eyes. "He's an asshat. I'd steer clear of him if I was you."

Nudge shrugged and I couldn't help being bothered by the thought that this was going to bite her in the butt later. I told myself I didn't care and took another hefty bite from my sandwich.

"His art work is incredible. Really abstract and original. Usually he sticks to red and black when he's painting, but honestly, it's amazing what that guy can do with a paintbrush. So meaningful, you know?"

I tuned out. I didn't care about art. I didn't care about Dylan. Therefore Dylan's art bored me quite substantially. I wasn't prepared to listen to her rant about him.

Half an hour later, I allowed my wandering thoughts to focus back on the conversation at hand.

"And then he told me he'd had a great time, and that we should do it again." Ella was speaking now. I felt an odd tug at my stomach.

"Really?" Nudge squealed, clapping her hands together like an idiot. "That's so romantic!"

Ella blushed and began to pack up her lunch. I screwed the wrapping from my sandwich tighter and tighter until it was a tiny, hard pellet. I threw it into the nearest dustbin and brushed down my skirt.

"Who were you on about?" I asked Ella, making sure Nudge was several paces in front of us and wasn't listening in.

There was a tense silence between us for a few moments until I ventured to turn my head and look at my friend. She met my gaze and sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Thanks for listening."

I frowned. "What?"

"Max, I don't get it. You just don't seem to give a shit anymore. I get that you're going through a rough patch, but the Max I know is stronger than this. She doesn't just tune out when her best friend is talking to her. She actually takes interest in people around her – she doesn't just expect all the fucking attention for herself!"

We had stopped walking. My lips were pressed into a thin, unyielding line.

"You never gave a second glance to any of the guys at this school before, Ella. I'm not the one who's been changing."

"Looking at boys is not a crime!" She protested, her brown eyes flashing slightly in fury. "We're not fucking nuns, Max! We have to live a little!"

I stared at her for a while, wondering who the hell she was and what she had done with my best friend. Before I could think up some witty, spiteful comment to throw back at her, Ella spun around on her heel and marched away from me. Nudge stood a few metres away, giving me a sad sort of look, before she finally began to approach me.

"I'm sorry, Max."

"What for?" I muttered.

She lifted one shoulder in a half hearted shrug. "For everything seeming so crap. I know how it feels. It's horrible. But honestly... it will all be okay in the end. Sometimes life throws us all the shit it can muster, and leaves us to try and cope... but we will cope. You will cope. Because I believe in you, and you believe in yourself."

I blinked at the fuzzy haired girl standing in front of me, her brown eyes soft, her tie slightly askew and the strap of her satchel sliding down her arm. This time I didn't have to force the smile. It just came to me, and I nodded, trying to communicate to her without words how grateful I was.

She reached forwards and squeezed my hand before turning and beginning to walk away.

"Hey." She added suddenly, looking over her shoulder at me. "I'll see you later. I think our families are having dinner together."

I found myself doing more of the foreign nodding and smiling. Somehow, the news caused only a spark of anger in me, not an entire explosion, like it would normally. Nudge's gentle words of comfort had numbed my senses. She waved again, walking into the school building and leaving me staring at her back until she was gone.

...

I looked over the message I had texted one more time before finally forcing my hovering thumb to embrace the _send _button.

I put the mobile on the desk and lay back on the bed, staring at my ceiling for a while.

I sat up again in bed and picked up the phone, scrolling through to the _sent box, _opening up the most recent text.

_Ella, I'm sorry about today. I was wrong._

She would reply, I thought to myself. How could she not? Me apologizing was nothing short of a tiny miracle. I rubbed my thumb over the screen of my phone, clearing away the dusty finger prints which were fogging up the view.

"Max!"

I slipped the phone into my pocket after putting it on _vibrate. _

"Yeah?"

"Max!"

"WHAT?"

"The doorbell's going to ring any min-"

She was interrupted by the doorbell ringing.

"MAX GET THE DOOR!"

"Alright."

I hurried down the stairs, scraping my hair (which was in need of a brush) into a high ponytail and smoothing down my Star Wars t-shirt before dragging open the door. Facing me now was a sheepish looking Jeb. I forgot all the comfort Nudge had provided me and only returned his small smile with a stony glare.

"Come in!" Mum's shrill voice floated down from upstairs.

I stepped aside, allowing the family to come trooping in. Sandra glanced at me nervously while Nudge offered me a broad grin. I winked at her in return and allowed a small quirk of my lips. After them came Angel... Gazzy...

"Is Fang not coming?" I couldn't help the question slipping out as I shut the front door. Angel looked uncomfortable while Sandra's small smile was replaced with a neutral, cold poker face.

"He might be." She replied quietly.

I nodded, deciding not to push it, and lead them dutifully to the dining room. They all took the same seats as they had the last time, and I went to the kitchen to assist Mum in carrying in the bowl of soup and the salad and sides.

"Again, it looks lovely." Jeb announced. I ignored him. Mum flashed him a winning smile.

We settled down, eating for a while before Nudge began to give us an account of her very eventful sports lesson. The teacher – Mrs Nichols, a total hag – was making them do gym that day. When Carl Luberstorf, the chubbiest, and possibly most clumsy boy in the entire year, was unable to do a cartwheel, she tried to show him how. She ended up crashing into the sports supplies cupboard in the corner of the hall, and had to be taken to the nurse.

Everyone laughed. I had to bow my head to stop them seeing the growing smile on my face, but I waited long enough so that Nudge saw that I appreciated the amusement of her story.

It was right at that moment, when the two very families that I thought would rather go to hell that associate with each other, were in fact talking and laughing like _friends_, that the doorbell rang again. I got up to answer it, not oblivious to the odd look Sandra threw at Jeb.

It was Fang. He wasn't alone. Beside him was a tall guy with strawberry blond hair and milky blue eyes. Fang nodded abruptly, while his friend allowed his eyes to roam up and down my figure, resting on my face with a broad grin.

I confronted him with a snarl.

"Why the hell did you bring him?" I demanded.

Fang shrugged, creating a nonchalant air, but his eyes bore into mine. I tried to swallow without them noticing.

"My name is Iggy." The boy held out a hand. I took it reluctantly, wondering if kids with weird names were prone to making friends with weird names.

"Pleasure." I muttered, before stepping back and allowing them into the house. After I closed the door, I followed them through to the dining room.

"Fang!" Mum cried, standing up. She brushed the hair out of her eyes and smiled broadly at him. "So glad you could make it. And I see you brought a fri-"

"Fang, what the hell were you thinking?" I turned my head to look at Sandra. She was white, her eyes wide and her lips thin and threatening. She had Fang pinned down with a fierce glare. "How dare you be late when Valencia was kind enough to invite us over?"

I felt my insides freeze slightly. Fang seemed undeterred.

"And why did you bring Iggy without asking permission? Do you have no respect?" Her voice was slowly rising. Fang continued to meet her blazing stare calmly.

"Sorry." He said in a quiet, low voice. This seemed to anger Sandra further. She stood up and flung her napkin onto the table.

"How dare you be so insolent." She turned to her husband. Jeb sighed and rubbed his eyes before straightening his glasses and facing Fang.

"You're mother is right, Fang. It's disrespectful to turn up late and bring along someone who hasn't been invited."

"I'm so sorry." Iggy blurted out suddenly. "I'll go-"

"How about," Fang began in a conversational tone, putting his hands into his trouser pockets. "Iggy stays. I leave."

Sandra bit her lip furiously. "Don't you dare-"

"Sorry for the trouble." He spoke to my Mother, before turning around and walking leisurely from the house.

As soon as he was gone, Sandra collapsed in her seat and looked up imploringly at my Mum. She looked exhausted. "I'm so sorry, Valencia. I just..."

I didn't hear the rest of the conversation. I knew my mother would probably be soothing Sandra now, assuring her it was fine, inviting Iggy to sit down and join them... but something in Fang's expression had made me feel some sympathy for him. I felt compelled to go and make sure he was okay. It was a crazy idea. I hardly knew him. If anyone should go, it should be Iggy.

But he had come to get me when I stayed out late. I could return the favour in a way.

I left the house quietly, sure that my Mum would be aware of what I was doing. I saw Fang a little way up the road, sitting on a brick wall with his hands clasped loosely between his legs. I approached him slowly, smoothing down my shirt again, wondering if I should turn back.

Fang chose that moment to look at me. His gaze was soft and curious. I walked forward the remaining few steps until I was beside him.

"Hi." I said quietly.

"Hi."

I waited for a few moments. Fang looked down at his hands.

"You okay?" I asked at last.

He nodded.

I waited some more.

I pulled out a dandelion that was growing beside the brick wall and plucked the head off. I toyed with it before throwing it up into the air.

Fang caught it, pressing the flower of the plant between his fingers until it was nothing but yellow pulp.

"She thinks I'm turning into my Dad." He said softly, gazing at the mess in his palm.

"Jeb?"

Fang shook his head. "My real Dad."

I waited for a few moments before venturing to press him further. "What was wrong with him?"

"There was nothing wrong with him."

I looked down at the scuffed toes of my converses.

"But nobody's perfect."

I nodded. Fang dropped the dandelion head onto the floor. We stayed there for a while, as our families were eating, not talking to each other but staring up at the stars that pierced the black sky.

**Ahh. This was a pretty... serious chapter. Hope you liked it :)**

**x**


	5. Author's Note

**Hi.**

**Um. This is embarrassing... because it's not a chapter... PLEASE DON'T HURT ME. The thing is, I need you to know about my problems, as you are my lovely readers and reviewers etc etc**

**Okay, just to start off with, I'd like to tell you now I AM NOT GIVING UP. I am generally not a giver upper. **

**But I am having major problemos with this story. I never really had a plot for it, and the thing is... I find it pretty tricky to write about **_**serious **_**stuff. I've discovered myself as more of a comic-romance kinda girl. Which basically means that I'm going to take a break from writing Like a Book, and concentrate on figuring out the plot for the sequel of my other story, Meet My Sister. Please check it out if you already haven't, and the sequel will be up soon. :)**

**Then, eventually, I will get out of the writer's block for this story. And I'll have a plot figured out and everything.**

**Sorry again guys, and please don't give up on me! Cause I REFUSE to give up on LAB.**

**Love you all**

**The Yellow submarine x**


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